As part of the ongoing programme at the Anvil Theatre, Basingstoke Festival is proud to welcome the Basingstoke Symphony Orchestra to Basingstoke Festival 2018. The Orchestra was formed in 1930 by local musicians for the enjoyment of making music through rehearsals and concerts. For over 60 years we were the only symphony orchestra to perform regularly in Basingstoke. The Anvil has transformed the musical scene in Basingstoke and we are now one of the many symphony orchestras who enjoy the Anvil’s wonderful acoustics – likened by one expert to ‘an Italian courtyard in summer’. The high standard of presentation achieved by the BSO, coupled with the Anvil’s acoustics and facilities means that we have been able to attract many top name soloists to perform with the orchestra over the past few years.

On the occasion of the orchestra’s debut in The Anvil in June 1995, all 1400 seats were filled to hear the orchestra with Lesley Garrett and James Lisney – the evening was a real triumph. Lesley Garrett is now a patron of the Anvil and returned to perform with us in 1997 when she reiterated her admiration for the orchestra’s high standard and ability to play with comfort such wide variety of musical styles.

Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council is delighted to welcome Ballet Cymru to Basingstoke Festival 2018. The Newport based dance group is committed to innovation in dance and classical ballet, and to the highest standard of collaboration with choreographers, designers, composers and musicians. Check out this incredible trailer from the smash hit performance The Light Princess

Since gaining Revenue Status from the Arts Council of Wales, Ballet Cymru has begun to realise its potential as a national company for Wales and continues to receive excellent reviews for its work in national newspapers and magazines, including Dance Europe, The Independent and The Guardian.

Ballet Cymru is proud to be a collaborative company and the quality of its collaborations continues to exceed expectations with partnerships with Sinfonia Cymru, Citrus Arts, The Riverfront Theatre, Cerys Matthews and Catrin Finch scheduled over the next couple of years.

Winners:Critics’ Circle National Dance Award in 2006.Nomination:Critics’ Circle National Dance Award for Best Independent Company 2012.2 Nominations:Best Dance Production at the Theatre Critics of Wales Awards in 2013.Winners:Best Large Scale Dance Production at the Theatre Critics of Wales Awards in 2014.

Basingstoke Festival 2018 is delighted to introduce DJ Miss Tyson, a highly decorated and widely recognised champion on the decks, the Hastings born DJ specialises in working with young people with behaviour, social issues and at risk of exclusion from school. Miss Tyson’s work has led to her working with over 10,000 young people. The former Funkt resident has the highest DJ Bronze Arts Award pass rate in the UK. She has been recognised for her work with disaffected young people and has been a guest speaker in education for behaviour management using music and the arts. Over the last few years she has met many clubbers from back in the 90’s that have encouraged her to start gigging again. She is now ready to hit the decks keeping it vinyl all the way with a box of 90’s club classics.

Miss Tyson started Djing in 1992 around Hastings in East Sussex playing alongside Danny Howells. She got her first break with ‘Club UK’ – London where she became resident for ‘Girls Behaving Badly’ shortly followed by the ‘Leisure lounge’ and ‘The Gardening Club’ in London. In 1998 she became the ‘UK Redemption DJ of The Year’ which was run by ‘DJ Mag’ which led to gigs abroad. In 1999 she was ‘The Nivea Female DJ of The Year’ and played ‘T in the Park’ and ‘Glastonbury festival’. Tyson was very popular in Southern Ireland and was a regular at ‘The Temple Theatre’ Dublin, headlining their Millennium night. She was resident at ‘Funkt’ Brixton – London and also ran her own night ‘House Work’ at the ‘Dog Star’ in Brixton for 5 years. She had her own radio show on ‘Shakedown FM’ for 5 years and also was a guest on ‘Kiss FM’ London and Ireland.

Basingstoke Festival 2018 is proud to bring you Shakespeares ‘The Winters Tale’ An intriguing mix of drama and comedy and tremendous entertainment for a Summer evening from this premier professional all-male company. Weather permitting, this will be in our garden. Bring your picnic to War Memorial Park on Friday 15 June 2018.

As part of the Basingstoke festival 2018 the unstoppable Magic of Motown steams into town. Seen by over one million people all over the world, prepare yourself for 40 back-to-back Motown hits, glittering costumes, dazzling dance moves and outstanding musicianship in this explosive concert experience all at Basingstoke’s Anvil Arts on Friday 6th July at 7.45pm.

Celebrate the sound of a generation with the timeless music of Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross, Stevie Wonder, The Temptations, The Supremes, The Four Tops, Martha Reeves, Jackson 5, Lionel Richie, Smokey Robinson and many more.

Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council are delighted to bring multi-award winning performance group Ockham’s Razor to B LOVE 2018. Winners of the Total Theatre & Jacksons Lane Award for Circus at the Edinburgh Fringe 2016, here’s a look at their incredible performance of Tipping Point that took out the gong. Don’t miss Ockham’s Razor perform their new piece, In The Belly Of The Whale at the Basingstoke Festival 2018.

Basingstoke Festival 2018 is please to team up with Zoielogic and bring the critically acclaimed performance RIDE to B LOVE 2018. RIDE portrays the story of three men whose separate paths coincide for a short time as they discover a most curious thing; a car that seems to have a life of it’s own. These four souls, three men and one machine take a strange, exciting journey together, on which they discover and explore man and machines reliance on each other, and themselves. Check out the trailer here and don’t miss it at the Basingstoke Festival 2018.

The Cheese & Chilli Festival is a family show offering something for everyone. Traders selling cheese and chilli associated products as well as craft and retail stands. Entertainments include PIG RACING, Falconry displays, children fun rides and inflatables, live music, cooking demonstrations/talks, a chilli eating competition, a chilli sauce competition and the Man v Food challenge. There is plenty to eat and drink with authentic food stalls and dedicated bars available. There is plenty to eat and drink with authentic food stalls and dedicated bars available.

Cheese & Chilli Festival at the War Memorial Gardens 23rd & 24th June

Children Free, Adults-£6 in advance, £8 on the door, Concessions-£4 in advance, £6 on the door

Sitting With Jane was a unique public art trail to celebrate Jane Austen’s connections with Basingstoke and her birthplace, Steventon, and forms part of a global commemoration of her life in 2017, the 200th anniversary of her death.

Jane Austen is one of the most famous novelists in the world and anything with a link to her life attracts huge interest.

Jane Austen was born in Steventon, just a few miles from Basingstoke, and she lived there for more than half her life. The places, people and landscapes of the area had an enormous influence on her novels and she drafted Pride and Prejudice whilst living in Steventon. Basingstoke was where she went to shop – and to dance. This local heritage is not well-known, Sitting With Jane changed this.

Sitting With Jane combined the celebration of local culture and history with a creative, modern interpretation that will appeal to all. It will attract wide media attention both on and off line, making Basingstoke the unlikely unsung hero in her life story.

What is Sitting With Jane?

Sitting with Jane was a public art trail made up of 24 ‘BookBenches’ in and around Basingstoke, each uniquely designed and painted by a professional artist with their personal interpretation of a Jane Austen theme. The trail linked together locations – all with free public access and was in place in summer 2017. It was accompanied by a free to download app and a trail guide.

As the birthplace of Jane Austen, Basingstoke is set to mark the 200 anniversary of her death with celebrations, events and specially commissioned artworks throughout the borough in 2017.

Born in 1775, the celebrated author lived the first 25 years of her life in Steventon, in the Hampshire countryside, and was known to often frequent the nearest town of Basingstoke for dances. Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council’s Deputy Leader Cllr Terri Reid said:

“On the 200th anniversary of Jane Austen’s death, it is only right that the borough where she was born, should hold events and celebrations to highlight how her work still entertains and inspires people today.”

Local artist Adam Roud was commissioned to create the first statue of Jane Austen to be cast in Bronze.

The Statue was unveiled by the Countess of Portsmouth on the 200th anniversary of Jane Austen’s death and is situated outside the Willis Museum in Market Place at the Top of the Town.

“Nothing could be better than a statue of Jane Austen hurrying across the Market Square to collect library books, do a little shopping or pick up her mother from Dr Lyford’s house – living the busy family life into which she fitted the writing that has made her world famous”